GLOSSARY

In addition to proper names and Chinese terms, the following list includes the names and dates of all commentators in the preceding pages along with the titles of texts from which I have quoted selected passages. As in my other books, the romanization system I have used is a modified version of the Wade-Giles. However, in this glossary I have also added the Pin-yin spelling for those more familiar with that system, which was originally developed during China’s Great Leap Forward and whose quirks (namely, its use of x’s, z’s, and q’s) were intended to help Russian speakers.

CHANG TAO-LING / ZHANG DAOLING / (A.D. 34–157). Patriarch of the Way of Celestial Masters, the earliest known Taoist movement, which emphasized physical and moral training along with spiritual cultivation. His commentary was lost until a partial copy, including verses 3 through 37, was found in the Tunhuang Caves: s.6825. Lao-tzu hsiang-erh-chu.    11, 14, 21, 24, 28, 35, 36

CHANKUOTSE / ZHANGUOZE / Collection of narratives, some historical, some fictional, based on the events of the Warring States Period (403–221 B.C.). Compiled by Liu Hsiang (ca. 79–6 B.C.) and reedited by later scholars.    41

CHAO CHIH-CHIEN / ZHAO ZHIJIAN / Quoted by Chiao Hung.

CH’EN KU-YING / CHEN GUYING / (B. 1935). Classical scholar and philosopher who has taught in Taipei and Beijing and annoyed authorities in both places with his outspokenness. Lao-tzu chu-yi chi-p’ing-chieh.    14

CH’ENG CHU / CHENG ZHU / (1078–1144). Scholar-official and fearless critic of government policies. Lao-tzu-lun.    1, 7, 14

CH’ENG HSUAN-YING / CHENG XUANYING / (FL. 647–663). Taoist master and proponent of using an eclectic approach to explain the teachings of Lao-tzu. His commentary was recently reedited from portions found in the Taoist canon and in the Tunhuang Caves: s.2517. It reflects the influence of Chuang-tzu along with Buddhist Sanlun and Tientai teachings and was required reading for Taoists seeking ordination during the T’ang dynasty. Lao-tzu-shu.    11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 37, 47, 49, 60, 79, 80

CHENG LIANG-SHU / ZHENG LIANGSHU / (B. 1940). Classical scholar and a leading authority on the Mawangtui texts. His presentation of differences between the Mawangtui and other editions appears in Ta-lu tsa-chih vols. 54–59 (April 1977–October 1979). His study of Tunhuang copies of the Taoteching is also excellent: Lao-tzu lun-chi.    39, 79

CHIANG HSI-CH’ANG / JIANG XICHANG / (PUBL. 1937). Lao-tzu chiao-chieh.    62, 79

CH’IANG SSU-CH’I / CHIANG SIQI / (FL. 920). Taoist master of the former Shu dynasty (Szechuan province) during the Five Dynasties period. His edition is invaluable for its preservation of the comments of Li Jung, Ch’eng Hsuan-ying, and Yen Tsun, as well as those of Hsuan-tsung and Ho-shang Kung. Tao-te-chen-ching hsuan-te-tsuan-shun.    7

CHIAO HUNG / JIAO HONG / (1541–1620). Noted compiler of bibliographic works. His 1587 edition of the Taoteching includes his own occasional comments as well as selected commentaries of mostly Sung dynasty authors, notably Su Ch’e, Lu Hui-ch’ing, and Li Hsi-chai. It remains one of the most useful such compilations. Lao-tzu-yi.    10, 19, 23, 32, 42, 46, 50, 63, 68, 69, 71, 81

CHIEH / JIE / (D. 1766 B.C.) and CHOU / ZHOU / (D. 1122 B.C.). Tyrants whose reigns concluded the Hsia and Shang dynasties, respectively.

CHINGFU / JINGFU / Inscription of the Taoteching carved in the second year of the Chingfu period (893) at Lunghsing Temple in Yichou, southwest of Beijing.

CHINGLUNG / JINGLONG / Inscription of the Taoteching carved in the second year of the Chinglung period (708) also at Yichou’s Lunghsing Temple. Authorities in charge of the temple’s former site have no idea what happened to these two steles, though several elderly village women told me both were moved south to another county in the same province. My guess is that they are in the archives of the Hopei Provincial Museum in Shihchiachuang. A third Taoteching stele, carved in 738, is the lone survivor of Lunghsing Temple’s collection of ancient inscriptions.

CHINJENMING / JINRENMING / An inscription that Confucius reports seeing on the back of a metal statue whose mouth was papered over. The statue, he says, was at the entrance to an early Chou dynasty shrine to Houchi, the God of Crops. (See Kungtzu Chiayu: 11.) A copy of the inscription currently stands near the entrance to the Duke of Chou’s shrine in Confucius’ hometown of Chufu.

CHU CH’IEN-CHIH / ZHU QIANZHI / (1899–1972). Classical scholar and teacher of philosophy and history. His edition of the Taoteching presents variants, rhymes, and usages along with his own comments. Lao-tzu chiao-shih.    7

CHU TI-HUANG / ZHU DIHUANG / (1885–1941). Ch’ing dynasty official and early revolutionary. After fleeing China, he returned to devote himself to Buddhism and philosophy.    78

CH’U YUAN / QU YUAN / (340–278 B.C.). China’s first great poet and author of the Lisao. His suicide in the Milo River is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon as Poet’s Day and marked by dragon-boat races to save his body from the water dragons and fishes.

CHUANG-TZU / ZHUANGZI / (369–286 B.C.). After Lao-tzu, the greatest of the early Taoist philosophers. The work that bears his name contains some of the most imaginative examples of early Chinese writing and includes numerous quotes from the Taoteching. The work was added to by later writers and edited into its present form by Kuo Hsiang (d. 312).    10, 22, 34, 35, 36, 37, 47, 54, 65, 78, 81

CHUNGYUNG / ZHONGYONG / (DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN). Attributed to Tzu-ssu, the grandson of Confucius. It forms part of a larger work known as the Lichi, or Book of Rites.

CONFUCIUS / (551–479 B.C.). China’s most revered teacher of doctrines emphasizing the harmony of human relations. His teachings, along with those of certain disciples, were compiled into the Lunyu (Analects), the Chungyung (Doctrine of the Mean), and the Tahsueh (Great Learning) and until recently formed the basis of moral education in China.    1, 25, 26, 28, 33, 41, 43, 45, 48, 49, 52, 57, 67, 70, 71

DUKE AI / (FL. 5TH C. B.C.). Ruler of the state of Lu and interlocutor of Lunyu: 12.9.    75

DUKE WEN OF CHIN / JIN / (FL. 7TH C. B.C.). Ruler of the state of Chin and hegemon of the central states.    63

FAN YING-YUAN / FAN YINGYUAN / (FL. 1240–1269). One of the first scholars to examine variations in pronunciation and wording in the Taoteching. Lao-tzu tao-te-ching ku-pen-chi-chu.    38

FIVE EMPERORS / According to the lineage established by China’s early historian Ssu-ma Ch’ien, they included Shao Hao (ca. 27th c. B.C.), Chuan Hsu (ca. 26th c. B.C.), Ti K’u (ca. 25th c. B.C.), Yao (ca. 24th c. B.C.), and Shun (ca. 23rd c. B.C.).

FU HSI / FU XI / (CA. 3500 B.C.). Sage ruler of ancient times and the reputed inventor of the system of hexagrams on which the Yiching is based.

FUYI / Copy of the Taoteching that came to light in 574 near the town of Hsuchou in the grave of one of the concubines of Hsiang Yu. Although the date of his concubine’s death is unknown, Hsiang Yu died in 202 B.C. Along with the Mawangtui texts, which date from the same period, this constitutes one of the earliest known copies. Fu Yi (555–639) was a court astrologer and outspoken opponent of Buddhist monasticism who published the text with his own commentary. Subsequent editions suggest Fu Yi made some minor changes involving grammatical particles but did not otherwise alter the text. Fu-yi chiao-ting ku-pen-lao-tzu.

HAN FEI / (D. 233 B.C.). Student of the Confucian philosopher Hsuntzu. His collection of rhetoric and antecdotes, known as the Hanfeitzu, is noted for its legalist philosophy. Chapters 20 and 21 consist of quotes from the Taoteching and include commentaries on verses 38, 46, 50, 53, 54, 58, 59, 60, and 67. Although Han Fei often misconstrues phrases to support his own ideas, his is the earliest known commentary.    8, 26, 36, 38, 45, 50, 53, 59, 60, 63, 64

HANKU / HANGU PASS / A seventeen-kilometer defile through the loess plateau on the border between Honan and Shensi provinces. Lao-tzu reportedly conveyed to Yin Hsi, the Warden of the Pass, the text that makes up the Taoteching.

HO-SHANG KUNG / HESHANG GONG / (D. CA. 159 B.C.). Taoist master who lived in a hut beside the Yellow River — hence his name, which means Master Riverside. His commentary emphasizes Taoist yoga and was reportedly composed at the request of Emperor Wen (r. 179–156 B.C.). It ranks next to Wang Pi’s in popularity. Some scholars think it was compiled as late as the third or fourth century A.D. by members of the Taoist lineage that included Ko Hung (283–343). There is at least one English translation: Eduard Erkes, Artibus Asiae (Switzerland), 1950. Lao-tzu-chu.    1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81

HOUHANSHU / (HISTORY OF THE LATTER HAN DYNASTY). Compiled by Fan Yeh (398–445) for the period A.D. 25–220.    9

HSI T’UNG / XI TONG / (1876–1936). Official and classical scholar known for his commentaries on the philosophical texts of the Warring States Period (403–221 B.C.). Lao-tzu chi-chieh.    4, 76, 78

HSIN TU-TZU / XIN DUZI / Interlocutor in Liehtzu: 8.25.    5

HSISHENGCHING / XISHENGJING (BOOK OF THE WESTERN ASCENSION). Taoist work apparently composed during the first centuries of the Christian era. It is one of several texts that recount Lao-tzu’s reappearance in India following his transmission of the Taoteching to Yin Hsi.    62

HSU YUNG-CHANG / XU YONGZHANG / (PUBL. 1992). Hsu’s commentary, which took forty years to compile, is prefaced by a thorough and wide-ranging discussion of the Taoteching as poetry. Lao-tzu shih-hsueh yu-chou.

HSUAN-TSUNG / XUANZONG / (R. 712–762). One of China’s more famous emperors, he was also a skilled poet and calligrapher and was deeply interested in Taoism as well as Buddhism. I have quoted from his own commentary, written in 732, as well as from another commentary compiled under his direction that expands on his earlier effort. Yu-chu tao-te-chen-ching and Yu-chih tao-te-chen-ching-shu.    10, 11, 12, 19, 22, 26, 27, 31, 34, 37, 46, 49, 52, 58, 60, 78

HSUEH HUI / XUE HUI / (1489–1541). Official, classical scholar, and student of the occult. His work on the Taoteching is notable for its critical review of previous commentaries. Lao-tzu chi-chieh and Lao-tzu k’ao-yi.    6, 11, 29

HSUN-TZU / XUNZI / (FL. 300–240 B.C.). Teacher of Han Fei as well as Li Ssu, the First Emperor’s infamous prime minister. He is considered the third of the great Confucian philosophers, after Confucius and Mencius. However, his rationalism is often at odds with the idealism of his predecessors. His teachings are contained in a book of essays that bears his name.    9, 32, 55

HU SHIH / HU SHI / (1891–1962). Student of John Dewey and leader of China’s New Culture Movement that helped establish vernacular Chinese as a legitimate form of literary expression. Chung-kuo che-hsueh-shih ta-kang.    5, 80

HUAI-NAN-TZU / HUAINANZI / (D. 122 B.C.), A.K.A. LIU AN / . He was the grandson of Liu Pang, the first Han emperor. He was a devoted Taoist, although his search for the elixir of immortality was prematurely interrupted when he was accused of plotting to seize the throne and was forced to commit suicide. The book named after him is a collection of treatises on mostly Taoist themes written by a group of scholars at his court.    5, 43, 44, 48, 64, 75

HUANG MAO-TS’AI / HUANG MAOCAI / (FL. 1174–1190). Scholar and military official. Lao-tzu-chieh.    44

HUANG YUAN-CHI / HUANG YUANJI / (FL. 1820–1874). Taoist master famous for his sermons and oral expositions of Taoist texts. His commentary, which he dictated to a disciple, focuses on internal yoga as well as on points in common between the teachings of Lao-tzu and Confucius. Tao-te-ching ching-yi.    3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 35, 40, 56

HUANG-TI / HUANGDI / (27TH C. B.C.). Known as the Yellow Emperor, he was the leader of the confederation of tribes that established their hegemony along the Yellow River. Thus, he was considered the patriarch of Chinese civilization. When excavators opened the Mawangtui tombs, they also found four previously unknown texts attributed to him: Chingfa, Shihtaching, Cheng, and Taoyuan.    80, 81

HUANGTI NEICHING / HUANGDI NEIJING / (INTERNAL TREATISE OF THE YELLOW EMPEROR). Earliest known text on Chinese medicine. It records conversations between the Yellow Emperor and his court physician, Ch’i Po. What appears to be the long-lost External Treatise was also found in the Mawangtui tombs.

HUHSIEN / HUXIAN / Established as a prefecture during the Chou dynasty, it was at first part of the state of Ch’en and later part of the state of Ch’u. According to Ssu-ma Ch’ien, Lao-tzu was born in the village of Chujen, just outside the prefectural seat. A series of ostentatious shrines now mark the location of his old home.

HUI-TSUNG / HUIZONG / (R. 1101–1125). Sung dynasty emperor and one of China’s greatest calligraphers and patrons of the arts. His commentary was finished in 1118, shortly before he was taken captive by nomad invaders. Yu-chieh tao-te-chen-ching.    49

JEN CHI-YU / REN JIYU / (B. 1916). Professor of religion and philosophy at Beijing University. His many publications include an English translation of the Taoteching. Lao-tzu che-hsueh t’ao-lun-chi.    4

JEN FA-JUNG / REN FARONG / (B. 1930). Director of the Taoist Association of China and abbot of Loukuantai, the Taoist center where Lao-tzu reportedly wrote the Taoteching. Master Jen’s is the only commentary I know of by a Taoist priest subsequent to the Cultural Revolution. Tao-te-ching shih-yi.    7, 31, 32, 49

KAO HENG / GAO HENG / (1900–?). Classical scholar and advocate of using grammatical analysis to elucidate textual difficulties in the Taoteching. Many of his insights have been borne out by the texts discovered at Mawangtui. Lao-tzu cheng-ku.    42, 77

KAO YEN-TI / GAO YENDI / (1823–1886). Classical scholar and member of the Hanlin Academy. In addition to providing several unique interpretations of his own, Kao’s commentary cites passages of the Taoteching that appear in other ancient texts. Lao-tzu cheng-yi.    78

KING HSIANG / XIANG OF LIANG / (FL. 4TH C. B.C.). Ruler of the small state of Liang (now Kaifeng) and son of King Hui.    31

KU HSI-CH’OU / GU XICHOU / (FL. 1600–1630). Scholar-official. His is one of several commentaries incorrectly attributed to the T’ang dynasty Taoist, Lu Tung-pin. Tao-te-ching-chieh.    53

KUAN LUNG-FENG / GUAN LONGFENG / (CA. 1800 B.C.). Prime minister during the reign of Emperor Chieh, last emperor of the Hsia dynasty, who had Kuan killed for his unwelcome advice.    18

KUAN-TZU / GUANZI / (D. 645 B.C.). Prime minister of the state of Ch’i. The voluminous work that bears his name more likely incorporates the views of the Chi-hsia Academy that flourished in the Ch’i capital at about the same time.    8, 26, 52, 64

KUMARAJIVA / (344–413). Native of the Silk Road kingdom of Kucha and greatest of all translators of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese. Lao-tzu-chu.    33, 48, 68

KUO YEN / GUO YEN / (FL. 7TH C. B.C.). Chief minister of the state of Chin during the reign of Duke Wen.

KUOTIEN / GUODIAN / Name of the village, near the city of Chingmen in Hupei province, where fragments of the Taoteching were found in 1993. The Kuotien copies were found in the tomb of a tutor to the crown prince of the ancient state of Ch’u and were divided into three bundles (A, B, and C). The calligraphy in each bundle is different from the others, as is the selection of verses. Taken together, they constitute less than 40 percent of the text, but given their approximate date, 300 B.C., they constitute its earliest known version.

KUOYU / GUOYU / (DIALOGUES OF THE STATES). Like the Tsochuan, with which it overlaps and shares much material, this is a compilation of Chou dynasty history and fictional narrative focusing primarily on the period 770–464 B.C. Traditionally, but erroneously, attributed to Tso Ch’iu-ming.

KUSHIHYUAN / GUSHIYUAN / Anthology of pre–T’ang dynasty poetry compiled by Shen Te-ch’ien (1673–1769) and published in 1719.

LI HSI-CHAI / LI XIZHAI / (FL. 1167). Taoist master, practitioner of Taoist yoga, and noted Yiching scholar. His commentary extends Lao-tzu’s teachings to the state as well as the individual. Tao-te-chen-ching yi-chieh.    1, 2, 4, 20, 22, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 60, 62, 63, 66, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76

LI HUNG-FU / LI HONGFU / (FL. 1574). His commentary can be found appended to a reissue of Su Ch’e’s commentary. In his preface, he says the differences between Confucius and Lao-tzu are no more significant than the preference for wheat in North China and rice in the South. Lao-tzu-chieh.    8, 73, 78

LI JUNG / LI RONG / (FL. 670). Taoist master and proponent of the Chunghsuan (Double Darkness) approach to the truth, which first uses darkness to break through the dialectic of darkness and light then renounces darkness as well. His commentary has been recently reedited from portions that survive in the Taoist canon as well as from several Tunhuang copies. Tao-te-chen-ching-chu.    8, 11, 16, 18, 31, 32, 35, 40, 41, 53, 59, 60, 76, 77, 78

LI YUEH / LI YUE / (FL. 683). Military official, accomplished poet, calligrapher, and painter of the plum tree. He viewed the Confucian classics as no more than leaves and branches and the Taoteching as the root. Tao-te-chen-ching hsin-chu.    4, 12, 14

LICHI / LIJI / (BOOK OF RITES). Anthology of Confucian writings, including the Chungyung and the Tahsueh. It was first put together around the second century B.C. and was further edited by Tai Te and his cousin during the following century.    17, 59

LIEH-TZU / LIEZI / (FL. 4TH C. BC). Taoist master about whom we know nothing other than that he could ride the wind. The book that bears his name was probably the work of his disciples and later generations of Taoists. The present version dates from the fifth century A.D.    6, 68, 76

LIN HSI-YI / LIN XIYI / (FL. 1234–1260). Scholar-official who produced commentaries to a number of classics. His commentary on the Taoteching is noted for its clarity. Lao-tzu k’ou-yi.    65, 69

LIU CH’EN-WENG / LIU CHENWENG (1232–1297). Poet and essayist. He held several official posts but spent most of his life in obscurity, if not seclusion. Lao-tzu tao-te-ching p’ing-tien.    40

LIU CHING / LIU JING / (FL. 1074). Recognized for his literary talent by Wang An-shih, he was given several minor posts but failed to advance due to his fondness for argument. Lao-tzu-chu.    3, 4, 6, 19, 21

LIU CHUNG-P’ING / LIU ZHONGPING / (FL. 1060). Official and member of Wang An-shih’s reform clique. Lao-tzu-chu.    65

LIU PANG / LIU BANG / (247–195 B.C.). Helped overthrow the Ch’in dynasty and became the first emperor of the Han.

LIU SHIH-LI / LIU SHILI / (FL. 1200). Lao-tzu-chieh-chieh.    9

LIU SHIH-P’EI / LIU SHIPEI / (1884–1919). Adds to the work of Wang Nien-sun and others in locating ancient usages of the Taoteching. Lao-tzu-chiao-pu.    67

LO CHEN-YU / LO ZHENYU / (1866–1940). Archaeologist, educator, bibliographer, agronomist, adviser to the last emperor, and among the first scholars to study the Tunhuang copies of the Taoteching. Tao-te-ching k’ao-yi and Tun-huang-pen-lao-tzu yi-ts’an-chuan.

LU HSI-SHENG /LU XISHENG / (FL. 890). High official and scholar known for his wide learning. His commentary reflects the view that Lao-tzu and Confucius were the spiritual heirs of Fu Hsi (ca. 3500 B.C.), with Lao-tzu emphasizing the yin and Confucius the yang aspects of the Way of Heaven. Tao-te-chen-ching-chuan.    2, 17, 41, 46, 51, 53, 77

LU HUI-CH’ING /LU HUIQING / (1031–1111). Gifted writer selected by Wang An-shih to help draft his reform proposals. His commentary, presented to the emperor in 1078, is quoted at length by Chiao Hung. Tao-te-chen-ching-chuan.    2, 7, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 41, 42, 44, 57, 64, 66, 69, 70, 74, 77

LU NUNG-SHIH / LU NONGSHI / (1042–1102). High official and scholar known for his knowledge of ritual. His commentary makes extensive use of quotes from the Liehtzu and Chuangtzu. Lao-tzu-chu.    3, 4, 13, 23, 29, 33, 45, 58, 59, 62, 73

LU TUNG-PIN / LU DONGBIN / (FL. 845). Leader of Taoism’s legendary Eight Immortals and author of a number of Taoist works, including Secret of the Golden Flower. Several commentaries have been attributed to him. I have used the Tao-te-ching shih-yi.    7, 9, 14, 27, 35, 46, 79

LUSHIH CHUNCHIU / LUSHI QUNQIU / (THE SPRING AND AUTUMN ANNALS OF MR. LU). Commissioned by Lu Pei-wei (d. 235 B.C.), this was probably the first Chinese text written with a unified plan. It purported to contain all that anyone needed to know of the world and was Taoist in conception. Not to be confused with The Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Yen or with The Spring and Autumn Annals written in the state of Lu and attributed to Confucius.    74

MA HSU-LUN / MA XULUN / (1884–1970). Minister of Education, member of several legislative bodies, and classical scholar. One of the first to suggest rearranging passages of the Taoteching to remedy inconsistencies, which he thought were the result of inadvertent shuffling of the wooden strips on which the text was first written. Lao-tzu chiao-ku.

MAWANGTUI / MAWANGDUI / Suburb of Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, it is the site of several Han dynasty graves that were excavated in 1973 and 1974. Among the contents of one of the graves were two copies of the Taoteching written on silk. Although the grave was sealed in 168 B.C., the presence or absence of certain characters proscribed after the onset of the Han dynasty suggests that Text A was copied before 206 B.C. and Text B was copied between 206 and 194 B.C. Along with the Fuyi text, and the subsequently unearthed Kuotien texts, they constitute our earliest copies of the Taoteching. One noteworthy difference in the Mawangtui texts is their reordering of several verses and the placement of the second half of the text first. However, no other edition has been found that follows suit.

MENCIUS / (390–305 B.C.). Ranked with Confucius and Hsun-tzu as the foremost teachers of the philosophy known as Confucianism. He studied with Confucius’ grandson Tzu-ssu. The work that bears his name records his conversations with his disciples and various rulers of his day.    17, 18, 22, 28, 30, 59, 61, 67, 74, 78, 79

MING T’AI-TSU / MING TAIZU / (1328–1398). Grew up in a family of destitute farmers, became a Buddhist monk, joined the rebellion against the Mongols (who had occupied the throne since 1278), and founded the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). His commentary, which he wrote without the help of tutors, was completed in 1374. Tao-te-chen-ching yu-chu.    74

MO-TZU / MOZI / (FL. 5TH C. B.C.). Philosopher whose arguments in favor of universal love and against costly funerals put him at odds with the Confucian school, especially Mencius and Hsun-tzu. The work that bears his name was apparently composed after his death by his disciples, who themselves betray differences of opinion concerning their master’s views.

MOU-TZU / MOUZI / (FL. 3RD C.) High official and author of the Lihuolun, the earliest known work that addresses the conflicts arising from Buddhist practice and Chinese tradition.    55

PAO-TING / BAODING / Knife-wielding cook of Chuangtzu: 3.2.    28

PI KAN / BI GAN / (FL. 1150 B.C.). Adviser to the last emperor of the Shang dynasty, who had him killed for his too-frank counsel.    18

PI YUAN / BI YUAN / (1730–1797). Prominent scholar-official with interests in history, philology, and geography. Lao-tzu tao-te-ching k’ao-yi.

PO-TSUNG / (FL. 8TH C. B.C.). Minister at the court of Chin. His views are reported in the Tsochuan: Hsuan.15.    78

SHANHAICHING / SHANHAIJING / (BOOK OF MOUNTAINS AND WATERS). Shaman’s guide to China’s mountains and rivers. Attributed to Yu the Great (fl. 2200 B.C.), it was edited into its present form by Liu Hsin (ca. 50 B.C.–A.D. 23). A reliable English translation was published by Taiwan’s National Institute for Compilation and Translation in 1985.    6

SHAO JUO-YU / SHAO RUOYU / (FL. 1135–1170). Tao-te-chen-ching chih-chieh.

SHEN NUNG / SHEN NONG / (28TH C. B.C.). Legendary ruler of China’s prehistoric period. He is venerated as the father of agriculture and herbal medicine in China.

SHIHCHING / SHIJING / (BOOK OF SONGS). Collection of some 300 poems from China’s earliest historical period, between the twelfth and seventh centuries B.C. Arranged by style and region, it was reportedly compiled by Confucius from a larger corpus of over 3,000 poems. It remained an essential part of traditional education until the twentieth century. There are half a dozen English translations.    60

SHUCHING / SHUJING / (BOOK OF DOCUMENTS). Collection of memorials from China’s earliest historical periods: the Hsia, Shang, and Chou dynasties. Reputedly edited by Confucius, there are two versions, one of which contains twenty-eight chapters and which most scholars think is genuine, and one with an additional twenty-two chapters of debatable authenticity. Translated into English by James Legge (1815–1897).

SHUN / (CA. 2250–2150 B.C.). Early sage ruler noted for his filial piety and noninterference in public affairs.    78

SHUOWEN / Greatest of China’s early etymological dictionaries. It was compiled and first published by Hsu Shen in A.D. 121 and revised and updated with new materials in the T’ang, Sung, and Ch’ing dynasties.    1, 4

SHUOYUAN / Collection of moral tales and political discourses. Attributed to Liu Hsiang (ca. 79–6 B.C.), who also compiled the Chankuotse.

SSU-MA CH’IEN / SIMA QIAN / (145–85 B.C.). Authored with his father, Ssu-ma T’an, the first comprehensive history of China. His biography of Lao-tzu (Shihchi [Records of the Historian]: 63) constitutes the earliest known record of the Taoist patriarch. There are several English translations.    9

SSU-MA KUANG / SIMA GUANG / (1019–1086). One of the most famous writers and political figures of the Sung dynasty and adversary of Wang An-shih. His multivolume history of China remains one of the most thorough treatments of China’s past up through the T’ang dynasty. His commentary interprets Lao-tzu’s text using Confucian terminology and neo-Confucian concepts. Tao-te-chen-ching-lun.    1, 13, 44

SU CH’E / SU CHE / (1039–1112). He, his father, and his brother are counted among the eight great prose writers of the T’ang and Sung dynasties. Although his commentary reflects his own neo-Confucian sympathies, it is also treasured by Buddhists and Taoists. Tao-te-chen-ching-chu.    1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

SUICHOU / SUIZHOU / Location in Hupei province where an inscription of the Taoteching was carved during the T’ang dynasty at the town’s Lung-hsing Temple. Not dated.

SUNG CH’ANG-HSING / SONG CHANGXING / (FL. 1700). Taoist master and seventh patriarch of the Dragon Gate sect of the Golden Lotus lineage. His commentary on the Taoteching was a favorite of Emperor K’ang-hsi (r. 1662–1722). Tao-te-ching chiang-yi.    2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 36, 37, 45, 48, 53, 54, 55, 60, 63, 64, 65, 69, 73, 77, 78, 79, 81

SUN-TZU / XUNZI (FL. 512 B.C.). Master of military tactics and strategy. His Pingfa (Art of War) has been much studied and admired ever since it came to the attention of King Ho Lu of the state of Wu, who subsequently became Sun’s patron.    57, 68, 69

SUOTAN / SUODAN / Partial copy of the Taoteching, including verses 51 through 81, found in the Tunhuang Caves. It was copied on paper in A.D. 270 by Suo Tan, a Tunhuang native famous for his prognostication of dreams. Although it was not included in early Tunhuang catalogues, it has been verified and recopied by Yeh Chien-ting and Huang Pin-hung. Formerly in the collection of Li Mu-chai, it is currently in the possession of Chang Chun.

SWEET DEW / Name for the saliva produced during meditation by pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. An essential element in the creation of a pure body capable of transcending death.    32

TAHSUEH / DAXUE / (GREAT LEARNING). One of the Confucian classics. It was later included as part of the Lichi (Book of Rites). Some scholars attribute its composition to Confucius’ disciple Tseng-tzu, while others think it was written by the Sage’s grandson, Tzu-ssu.

TE-CH’ING / DEQING / (1546–1623). One of the greatest Buddhist writers of the Ming dynasty and responsible for revitalizing the practice of Zen in China. His commentaries on Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu are among the best ever written and are used by Taoists as well as Buddhists. Lao-tzu tao-te-ching-chieh.    1, 6, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 50, 55, 56, 57, 58, 60, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 75, 77, 79, 81

THREE SOVEREIGNS / Fu Hsi (ca. 3500 B.C.), Shen Nung (ca. 2800–2700 B.C.), and Huang-ti (ca. 2700–2600 B.C.).

TS’AO TAO-CH’UNG / CAO DAOCHONG / (FL. SUNG DYNASTY: 960–1278). Taoist nun about whom I have found no other information. Lao-tzu-chu.    1, 7, 14, 15, 20, 25, 26, 33, 34, 48, 54, 56, 61, 63, 70, 71, 72, 78, 80, 81

TSENG-TZU / ZENGZI / (B. 505 B.C.). Disciple of Confucius and author of the Hsiaoching (Book of Piety). His views are also quoted at length in the Lunyu and the Tahsueh.    13

TSOCHUAN / ZUOZHUAN / (ANNALS OF TSO). First comprehensive account of the major political events of the Spring and Autumn Periods (722–481 B.C.). It was compiled during the fourth century B.C. by Tso Ch’iu-ming, about whom we know nothing else.    60

TU ER-WEI / DU ERWEI / (1913–1987). Scholar of Chinese religion and comparative mythology and proponent of the view that Taoism had its origin in the worship of the moon. Lao-tzu-te-yueh-shen tsung-chiao.    1, 50, 77

TU TAO-CHIEN / DU DAOJIAN / (FL. 1264–1306). Taoist master and author of commentaries to a number of Taoist classics. His Taoteching commentary makes extensive use of quotes from the Confucian classics. Tao-te-hsuan-ching yuan-chih.    6

TUNG SSU-CHING / DONG SIJING / (FL. 1246–1257). Taoist master and compiler of Taoist texts in the Lingpao tradition. His commentary includes extensive quotes from T’ang and Sung dynasty commentators as well as his own comments. Tao-te-chen-ching chi-chieh.    52

TUNHUANG / DUNHUANG / China’s westernmost outpost on the Silk Road over two thousand years ago and later the location of Buddhist devotional caves carved into a nearby hillside from the fourth through the fourteenth centuries. At the end of the nineteenth century, a Taoist caretaker opened a sealed side-room in one of the caves and found more than 30,000 manuscripts, most of which dated from the eighth through the eleventh centuries. From 1907 onward, he began selling these manuscripts to collectors, and the majority ended up in the national archives of France and England. Although most were Buddhist sutras, they included at least sixty copies of various portions of the Taoteching.

TZU-SSU / ZISI / (D. 483 B.C.). Grandson of Confucius and author of the Chungyung.    22, 68

WANG AN-SHIH / WANG ANSHI / (1021–1086). One of China’s most famous prime ministers. His attempt to introduce sweeping reforms directed against merchants and landowners galvanized Chinese intellectuals into a debate that continues to this day. He was also one of China’s great poets and prose writers. His commentary has been reedited from scattered sources by Yen Ling-feng. Lao-tzu-chu.    1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 18, 29, 30, 40, 52, 54, 55, 57, 61, 62, 67, 73, 79, 80

WANG CHEN / WANG ZHEN / (FL. 809). T’ang dynasty general and student of the Taoteching. His commentary, which he personally presented to Emperor Hsiuan Tsung, remains unique for its display of pacifist sympathies by a military official. Tao-te-ching lun-ping yao-yi-shu.    3, 9, 13, 15, 19, 23, 29, 30, 60, 63, 66, 68, 69, 72, 75, 76, 81

WANG NIEN-SUN / WANG NIANSUN / (1744–1832). Distinguished philologist whose analysis of grammatical particles used in ancient texts is unrivaled. His approach is also unique in not taking characters at their face value but in viewing them as possible homophones. Lao-tzu tsa-chih.    53

WANG P’ANG / WANG PANG / (1044–1076). Brilliant scholar, writer, and son of Wang An-shih. His commentary, written in 1070, was “lost” until Yen Ling-feng reedited it from various sources. Lao-tzu-chu.    3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 18, 20, 21, 28, 32, 33, 34, 38, 42, 47, 49, 52, 55, 57, 58, 62, 64, 69, 70, 72, 75, 76, 77

WANG PI / WANG BI / (226–249). Famous for the quickness of his mind as well as the breadth of his learning. He grew up with one of the best private libraries of his time. Although he died of a sudden illness at the age of twenty-four, he was among the first to discuss Taoism as metaphysics rather than religion. As a result, his commentary has been preferred over that of Ho-shang Kung by Confucian scholars. At least two English translations exist: Paul Lin, University of Michigan Center for Chinese Studies, 1977; Ariane Rump, University of Hawaii Press, 1979. Lao-tzu-chu.    1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 33, 34, 38, 39, 40, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65, 67, 69, 70, 72, 75, 79

WANG TAO / WANG DAO / (1476–1532). Incorporates Confucian interpretations in his commentary. Lao-tzu-yi.    5, 28, 43, 56, 59, 63, 75

WANG WU-CHIU / WANG WUJIU / (FL. 1056). Scholar-official. He gave up a promising official career in order to devote himself to studying and teaching. Lao-tzu-yi.    2

WEI YUAN / (1794–1856). Classicist, historian, geographer, and admired administrator. While his own views are insightful, his commentary consists largely in selections from Chiao Hung’s earlier edition. Lao-tzu pen-yi.    3, 4, 18, 22, 40, 56, 72

WEN-TZU / WENZI / (FL. 5TH C. B.C.). Taoist recluse and teacher of Fan Li, prime minister of the state of Yueh. According to the Hanshu (History of the Han Dynasty), he was a disciple of Lao-tzu and a contemporary of Confucius. The book that bears his name is attributed to his disciples.    48

WU CH’ENG / WU CHENG / (1249–1333). One of the great prose writers of the Yuan dynasty, surpassed only by his student Yu Chi (1272–1348). His commentary shows exceptional originality and provides unique background information. It is also noted for its division of the text into sixty-eight verses. Tao-te-chen-ching-chu.    2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 45, 46, 47, 51, 52, 54, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 80, 81

YANG / The bright side, the male, the strong.

YANG HSIUNG / YANG XIUNG / (53 B.C.-A.D. 18). Gifted philosopher and writer of courtly odes. Known for his view that man is neither good nor bad by nature but wholly subject to his environment. A number of his odes are preserved in the literary anthology known as the Wenhsuan. The Fayen contains his philosophical maxims.    66

YAO NAI / (1732–1815). One of the most famous literary figures of the Ch’ing dynasty and advocate of writing in the style of ancient prose. His anthology of ancient literary models, Kuwentzu Leitsuan, has had a great influence on writers and remains in use. Lao-tzu chang-chu.    80

YELLOW EMPEROR / (CA. 2700–2600 B.C.). Patriarch of Chinese culture. He was also among the earliest known practitioners of Taoist yoga and other hygienic arts.

YEN FU / (1853–1921). Naval officer, scholar, and the first Chinese commentator to use Western philosophical concepts in interpreting Lao-tzu. Lao-tzu tao-te-ching p’ing-tien.    6

YEN LING-FENG / YEN LINGFENG / (B. 1910). Classical scholar and specialist in Taoteching studies. In addition to his own books on the subject, he republished most of the surviving commentaries in his monumental Wu-ch’iu-pei-chai lao-tzu chi-ch’eng, including a number of “lost” commentaries that he reconstructed from diverse sources. Lao-tzu chang-chu hsin-pien.    21

YEN TSUN / YEN ZUN / (FL. 53–24 B.C.). Urban recluse of Chengtu. He supported himself as a fortune-teller and spent his remaining time reading and pondering the Taoteching. The lengthy commentaries that he produced are sometimes quite profound but more often obscure, and those that survive are incomplete. He divides the text into seventy-two verses. Tao-te-ching chih-kuei.    3, 8, 9, 12, 38, 39, 41, 43, 46, 48, 49, 54, 66, 70, 73, 75, 78, 80

YENTIEHLUN / YENTIELUN / (DISCOURSE ON IRON AND SALT). Record of debates on government policies and other problems of the day compiled by Huan K’uan (fl. 73 B.C.).    46

YICHING / YIJING / (BOOK OF CHANGES). Ancient manual of divination based on a system of hexagrams invented by Fu Hsi (ca. 3500 B.C.) with judgments attributed to Duke Wen and the Duke of Chou (c. 1200–1100 B.C.), and commentaries added some 600 years later, reportedly by Confucius.

YICHING CHITZU / YIJING JIZI / (APPENDED JUDGMENTS ON THE BOOK OF CHANGES). Attributed to Duke Wen.    80

YIN / The dark side, the female, the weak.

YIN HSI / YIN XI / (FL. 6TH C. B.C.). Taoist astronomer who met Laotzu at Hanku Pass and to whom Lao-tzu subsequently conveyed the Taoteching. Several works have been attributed to him, though those that survive are probably by later Taoists.

YIN WEN / (350–284 B.C.). Eclectic philosopher of the state of Ch’i and author of a book of discourses that bears his name.    74

YU JUO / YU RUO (FL. 5TH C. B.C.). Disciple of Confucius known for his resemblance to the sage as well as for his love of antiquity. After Confucius’ death, many of his disciples wanted to render to Yu Juo the same observances they had conferred on Confucius. But this was opposed by Tseng-tzu.    75

YUNCHI CHICHIEN / YUNJI QIJIAN / Anthology of Taoist writings editing by Chang Chun-fang (fl. 1017–1021). One of the most influential such compilations, it is also called the Shorter Taoist Canon.    42